8 Best Tactical Gloves Reviews: The Smart Way to Protect Your Hands

By Diana Heath

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For any type of tactical or combat mission, you need to protect your hands with a pair of heavy-duty tactical gloves. But these highly functional gloves as not just for law enforcement officers and soldiers. Tactical gloves can be used for activities like hunting, shooting, cruising along the highway on your Harley Davidson, mountain biking, mountaineering, hiking, playing airsoft or paintball, or even working out at the gym.

Our Top Pick for the Best Tactical Gloves

Our top pick for the best tactical gloves is the TitanOPS Gear Full Finger and Half Finger Tactical Gloves. Whatever your mission is, a military combat scenario, hunting deer in the woods, riding a horse, or playing airsoft, the TitanOPS Gear tactical gloves provide excellent hand protection, flexibility, grip, and warmth. You can choose from full-fingered or fingerless gloves and as they come at a very affordable price, it is a great idea to purchase 2 pairs so you will be always be prepared for any type of action-packed activity.

Protect Your Hands With Highly Functional Heavy-Duty Tactical Gloves

Extreme outdoor or indoor activities call for a high level of hand protection and tactical gloves are specifically designed to protect your hands against impact, abrasions, and other types of injuries that can occur in rough outdoor conditions. To be able to choose the right type of tactical gloves that are perfectly suited for your work or recreational activity, here are some very important features to consider.

How To Choose the Best Pair of Tactical Gloves

Firstly, let's talk about the types of tactical gloves that are available. Tactical gloves come in two styles: full fingered gloves and fingerless gloves which are also called half-fingered gloves.

Full-finger Tactical Gloves

Full-fingered tactical gloves have a closed finger design which means that the thick material covers your hands and fingers. They provide maximum protection from impact, abrasions, or cuts and also keep your hands warm in cold temperatures. Their extra thick material and tough knuckle protection makes them a great choice for military missions and climbing over rocks and playing airsoft or paintball.

As full-fingered gloves cover your whole hand and fingers, they do not provide a lot of dexterity or allow your fingers to move freely so they may not give you a good amount of dexterity for pulling a trigger on a weapon, picking up and holding mechanical tools, or getting a good grip on a bike's handlebars.

Fingerless / Half-fingered Tactical Gloves

Fingerless or half-fingered tactical gloves, like the TitanOPS Gear gloves, are primarily designed for law enforcement officers who need to use a pistol and hunters who use rifles and they are ideal for cyclists. They leave your fingers exposed and allow them to move freely, which means they are a great choice for using the touchscreen on a smartphone. Like full-fingered gloves, fingerless gloves are made of tough material and have very good knuckle protection from impact and abrasions but the material will be stretchy and flexible so you can pull the trigger on your weapon or grasp the handlebars on a bike.

The downside of fingerless gloves is that they leave your fingers vulnerable to injuries and cold temperatures. Also, the material may feel a little stiff when you first put them on but after a while, they will conform perfectly to your hands.

Construction

Most tactical style gloves use a combination of different materials like microfiber, synthetic or cowhide leather, Lycra, nylon, Kevlar or Clarino™, microfibre leather. These materials provide a superior level of protection while allowing the gloves to breathe in challenging weather conditions.

The material will be thick and strong with extra padding or have double-layered material. But thick material can also make the gloves too bulky and can restrict the movement in your fingers which makes it hard to operate your weapons.

Plastic or leather hard-shell inserts may be attached to the top of the gloves or built-in to the gloves, like the Camelbak Magnum Force MP3 Gloves.

Tactical gloves may have reinforced synthetic leather panels on the palms, like the FREETOO gloves, which are sewn into the palm and on the inside of the fingers which gives you more flexibility, traction, and grip for holding on to a weapon, climbing up a rope or clambering over rocks.

Breathable Material

If you are working out in the hot sun, you need gloves that have breathable material like nylon mesh or the ultra-breathable TrekDry or a special “selective fourchette material”, which is a single layer multi-piece material that the PIG gloves are made out of, which provides extra ventilation.

Extra Features

Tactical gloves that have adjustable gauntlets or cuffs with Velcro straps are easier to put on and take off. Hook and loop straps are good too but they may be harder to fasten if the gloves have thick material in the fingers. Nylon loops that are attached to the gauntlet or cuff allow you to attach the gloves to your belt or backpack with a carabiner.

Dexterity

Dexterity is important for smartphone or tablet use, but the thick padding on the fingers can restrict movement and make it hard to use a touchscreen. If you want full-fingered gloves that have touchscreen compatibility, look for gloves that have thinner material on the fingers or special Clarino™ microsuede like the PIG tactical gloves. Thermal Plasticized Rubber (TPR) finger guards or two-way stretch Spandex fabric improves all over hand flexibility and EVA foam protects your fingers without interfering with the mobility of your trigger finger.

Best Tactical Gloves Reviews

1. Mechanix Wear – Original Coyote Tactical Gloves

The Mechanix Wear Tactical Gloves are specially designed for military combat and special forces in the desert or mountainous areas, and they are also an excellent choice for a hunting expedition or riding a horse on your property.

The gloves are made from a special form-fitting TrekDry synthetic leather material, which is highly durable and protects your hands from cold temperatures and injuries. If you are working or hiking in hot weather, the material is breathable and keep your hands cool and comfortable.

For combat or tactical missions, the Coyote tan color blends in with a combat uniform and provide the perfect camouflage in outdoor environments. You can maintain a good secure grip on your weapon as the high-dexterity palm is made from seamless 0.8mm synthetic leather which provides the perfect blend of dexterity and durability in challenging outdoor conditions.

The Thermal Plastic Rubber (TPR) wrist enclosure has a hook and loop that you can tighten to stop any dust or debris getting inside the gloves and provides a comfortable seamless fit to your wrist. Keep your gloves ready for action and attached securely to your gear or pack with the nylon web loop that is conveniently positioned beneath the cuff.

2. TitanOPS Gear Full Finger and Half Finger Tactical Gloves

Highly versatile, the all-terrain TitanOPS Gear Glove range includes 2 styles, full or half-fingered gloves, which are perfectly suited for motorcyclists, military or combat training, police officers, shooting, hunting, riding, hiking, or playing airsoft.

The gloves are made from a combination of microfiber, leather, Lycra, and nylon that fits snugly on your hands and allows for full dexterity. If it is hot outside, your hands will stay cool and comfortable as the material breathes well and there are vents on the fingers. There is hard molded synthetic leather with tight durable stitching on the knuckles which provides that much-needed protection from abrasions, cuts, and injuries.

The palm has a reinforced padded grip and the fingers have a soft microfiber material that gives you excellent dexterity and the spandex stretches for a comfortable fit.

If you need to put the gloves on and take them off in a hurry, the cuffs have a strong military-grade Velcro and you can adjust the wrist strap for a tighter fit.

The TitanOPS gloves are bacteria resistant and odor-free. To clean them, just put them into the washing machine and they dry fast!

You can choose from black, tan or green, and the sizes range from a medium, large, X-large or XX-large, but the sizes do run small.

The double-layered gloves are made out of high-quality super durable microfibre fabric, which is very flexible and has anti-skipping, anti-static, anti-drip, anti-melt properties and will keep your hands warm. For challenging outdoor operations like using a weapon in hot weather, riding a bike or climbing over rocks, the material is breathable and quick drying.

For extra durability, the material on the back of the gloves is applied with a strong tough glue injection processing, and thick matting on the palms provides extra protection and a good secure grip on a weapon, handlebars or gym equipment.

You can adjust the gloves for a comfortable fit with the durable Velcro strap and to secure the gloves with a carabiner to your belt or backpack, there is a low-profile nylon loop that is fitted onto the cuff.

Vbiger offers two colors: army green or army black as well as two other styles: army green 2 and black 2 tactical gloves, which have hard molded plastic inserts on the knuckles that give you maximum protection in tough combat scenarios or harsh terrains. Vbiger recommends that you wash the gloves by hand or place them in a laundry bag before putting them into the washing machine.

The fingerless gloves are made of thick synthetic leather that protects your hands and knuckles from abrasion and injuries but the material is lightweight and flexible enough to fit snugly on your hands. If you are out in the hot weather, the material is breathable and maintains a comfortable temperature.

As well as giving your fingers that much-needed freedom for pulling the trigger on a pistol or rifle, holding onto handlebars, or using gym equipment, the gloves have a reinforced padded palm and the adjustable Velcro wrist strap allows for easy flexibility to tighten the gloves.

Keeping the gloves clean is very easy as they are bacteria resistant and odor-free and they can be cleaned in the washing machine and they dry fast.

5. PIG Full Dexterity Tactical (FDT) Alpha Gloves

These super comfortable gloves are made of “selective forschette material”, which is a single layer multi-piece material that allows for extra ventilation and superior durability. The inside forschette provides maximum wicking of moisture and the outer forschette are made from Clarino™ microsuede, which protects your hands from any injury and stops any cold weather drip. To minimize any sweating in hot weather, there are ventilation holes in the palms and fingers.

The single-layer multi-piece palm is designed specifically so that only one layer of material contacts your shooting grip, and the sensitized and isolated trigger finger is made from the thinnest available Clarino™ material, which provides ultimate trigger grip sensitivity.

If you need to use your smartphone, the conductive material on the thumb and dual-flex joint trigger finger ensure maximum reliability for touch screen compatibility without losing any tactile dexterity.

PIG has also incorporated additional protection with isolated edge padding, a wrap-over fingertip design and the stretchy ballistic nylon 1000D padding covers your knuckles and reduces any pressure on the seams.

For extra convenience and lightweight comfort, the gloves have a short cuff design and the low profile hook closure reduces any abrasion on your clothing.

The PIG gloves come in 4 designs: black, carbon grey, coyote, and ranger green and there are 5 sizes: small, medium, large, X-large and XX-large. PIG also offer a pair of tactical gloves for women.

Pros

Good quality

Great value for money

Comfortable fit

Ideal for light to medium tactical applications

Very good level of warmth

Lightweight

Excellent dexterity for griping weapons

Touch screen capability

Selective forschette material for maximum wicking

Clarino™ microsuede for durability and to stop cold weather drip

Single layer multi-piece palm is designed so that only one layer of material contacts your shooting grip

6. CamelBak MP3K05-10 Magnum Force MP3 Gloves

These highly functional black tactical gloves provide extreme protection while delivering that much-needed mobility, which makes them an excellent choice for law enforcement officers and hunters. Their two-way stretch Spandex fabric provides a snug and comfortable fit and includes anti-static fibers for improved safety around flammable material.

The Kevlar-reinforced hard knuckles are built into the glove, not placed on top, which keeps your hands safe from impact, abrasions and knife slashes. The palm heel is reinforced with Kevlar for extra wear resistance and the supple, breathable, durable Clarino® synthetic leather palm helps you to keep a firm grip on your weapon.

The Thermal Plasticized Rubber (TPR) finger guards are segmented to allow greater flexibility and the EVA foam padding protects your fingers without interfering with the mobility of your trigger finger.

To keep dirt and debris out of the gloves there is a durable hook-and-loop wrist closure and a polyester cord.

The CamelBak gloves come in a large size are covered by a lifetime guarantee.

A highly versatile heavy-duty pair of tactical gloves, the FREETOO Gloves can be used in all sorts of weather and for different outdoor activities like hunting, shooting, cycling, hiking, camping, airsoft or paintball.

The gloves feature a rugged design and the durable reinforced double-layered synthetic PU leather panel on the palm has anti-skidding properties. The flexible elastic spandex is not stiff or bulky and fits snugly while the micro-fiber on the fingers provide a good solid grip when you hold sports equipment, a rifle or climbing over rocks.

For harsh outdoor conditions, the gloves have double stitching and the hard plastic padding on the knuckles protect you from impact or abrasions and the adjustable anti-slip Velcro cuff gives complete freedom of movement and dexterity.

You will stay cool in hot weather as there are breathable vents on the fingers and the soft chafe-free material on the gauntlet feels comfortable and stops any dirt or debris from entering the gloves.

The loop design at the bottom of the gloves allows you to securely attach them to your backpack and keep them ready for action for your choice of outdoor activity.

The FREETOO tactical gloves come in a full-finger and fingerless design and in 3 colors: green, black, and tan and the sizes are medium, large, X-large and XX-large.

8. BLACKHAWK! Men's S.O.L.A.G. Heavy Duty with Kevlar Tactical Gloves

These all-purpose heavy-duty tactical gloves feature an ergonomic “relaxed hand” contoured design which feels comfortable and fits snugly on your hands like a second skin and provides a good tactile feel for superior gripping action on weapons and small tools. For a great level of protection in rough outdoor conditions, the gloves are made from a combination of strong but lightweight Kevlar and leather, with a dual-layer cowhide palm, leather-covered molded hard-shell knuckles, and over-wrap leather reinforced fingertips.

You can easily adjust the gloves for a secure fit as they have a Velcro strip on the back of the cuff and the nylon loop on the gauntlet can be attached to a carabiner for quick and easy access to your belt or backpack. Although the gloves are not waterproof, you can spray them with a waterproofing spray.

The BlackHawk! tactical gloves come in 4 sizes: small, medium, large and X-large.

Our Top Pick for the Best Tactical Gloves

Our top pick for the best tactical gloves is the TitanOPS Gear Full Finger and Half Finger Tactical Gloves. Whatever your mission is, a military combat scenario, hunting deer in the woods, riding a horse, or playing airsoft, the TitanOPS Gear tactical gloves provide excellent hand protection, flexibility, grip, and warmth. You can choose from full-fingered or fingerless gloves and as they come at a very affordable price, it is a great idea to purchase 2 pairs so you will be always be prepared for any type of action-packed activity.